Decide what you want from your business, in all the key areas. Then, turn that “want” into a target, by putting a number on it.

Here’s the thing: You can’t hit a target, if that target doesn’t exist.

It’s ineffective to say you want “more customers”. Why? Because the thing you want is undefined. It’s non-specific. So, you can’t focus on it. As soon as you put a number on it, you have a target. And your target then allows you to make all future marketing decisions with clarity.

For example, there are things you’ll need to do in order to attract 40,000 new customers over the next 12 months, which you won’t need to do, if you only want to attract 40. The number is what gives you your target. And your target will then rule in, or rule out, certain strategies.

Here are just a few areas, where you need specific targets, in order to make the right decisions.

How will you know when you have enough money in the bank? Put a number on it.

How will you know when your business is valuable enough? Put a number on it.

I spent some time recently with the former owner of a local high street store. He explained that the reason his business flopped, was that the “economy was too weak”.

And he was wrong.

I know a number of the people whose retail outlets are on the same high street as his and although a few have flopped, they are a very small minority. Most are doing fine, others are expanding. Including those with the same target customer profile as him.

Not his fault?

He was blaming the wrong culprit. The reason that guy’s business failed, was that he did too few of the things required for success. In other words, he made it impossible for his business to succeed.

For example, he was trying to compete based on price, against online retailers who had a fraction of his overhead; so he was playing to his weaknesses, rather than his strengths. His in-store experience was also very average. He got way too few customer referrals. There was no buzz about his business.

As you’ve probably guessed, he did all his own marketing himself. He did it himself, because like most small business owners, he lacked the business sense and the confidence to get expert marketing help.

The sense, because he thought it didn’t matter.

The confidence, because he saw only risk and it scared him.

He told me, “Finding the right expert help isn’t easy, Jim”.

Yes it is!

Check their credentials. If they stack up, hire them. If not, don’t. If someone lacks the judgement to know good from bad, they won’t be in business very long.

Blaming the economy for the failure of his business is like a bank robber blaming the police for being in jail, rather than taking responsibility for having robbed the bank.

We need to be smarter than that. Which, let’s face it, isn’t hard.

You see the blame game everywhere

Listen to the coach of a losing team after a game and you will often hear all kinds of blame being dished out. Listen to the winning coach and you will hear them talking about how effective the planning was and how committed the team was.

The most effective people in any area of life take responsibility for their actions and inactions. The buck stops with them.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Why?

Because accepting responsibility gives them complete freedom. It motivates them to do the right things, correctly… knowing that the right results will surely follow. So, if you want more sales, get a better marketing plan and work that plan.

Every business owner is faced with just 2 choices, when it comes to the development of their business:

Take responsibility. Decide what you want. Get the help you need. Then do the work.

Or find an excuse not to.

Sure, that’s not much of a choice. In fact, if you want your business to thrive, it’s no choice at all.

I have a very quick marketing tip for you today, but I think you’ll find it really useful. It’s a simple process, to help you attract more word of mouth referrals.

Spend a moment thinking about the last time you were so delighted by a product or service, that you wanted to tell everyone.

Next, write down everything about that experience, which blew you away. Go into detail. Include the small things as well as the more obvious things.

Then grab your thinking cap! Think of how you can adapt a version of that remarkable experience into the service your business provides.

It can take a while to figure out how to adapt a remarkable experience and incorporate it into your business, but it’s well worth it. Get it right and far more of your customers or clients will want to tell everyone about your business.

Those words almost sound like opposites. They’re not. In business, they work together beautifully.

It’s essential to know what you want to achieve and to stay focused on it.

However, you also need to remain flexible regarding how it happens. Then, as new information and opportunities come along, you can adjust your approach.

So, you remain both focused and flexible.

You couldn’t buy a cup of coffee from Starbucks

It’s true. Starbucks had already been in business for several years (and opened its first 5 stores), before you could buy a cup of coffee from them. Until then, you could only buy their coffee beans. Flexible thinking allowed them to identify a new opportunity.

Starbucks’ focus remained the same: to build a successful coffee business. However, their approach changed.

And Apple only sold computers and software

Apple’s surge to being the world’s most valuable company started with a pivot. Initially, Apple was exclusively a computer company. Steve Jobs decided to enter the music industry, with the iPod and iTunes. Then, Apple pivoted again, creating the iPhone. If iPhone were a company by itself, it would be bigger than Coca-Cola and MacDonald’s… combined!

Apple’s focus remained the same: to create beautifully designed technology. However, their approach changed.

Learn from the success of others, my friend. Remain focused on what you want to achieve, but be extremely flexible on how you achieve it.

Here’s why

It’s impossible to build a truly successful business, unless that business fills you with energy and excitement.

Think about it.

The energy is what keeps you moving forward. It’s the essential fuel source behind every successful business owner.

The excitement is what the marketplace needs to feel, whenever they have an encounter with you or your business. It’s highly infectious. It’s what inspires people to hire you, buy from you and recommend you.

And that energy and excitement can be yours. If you want it.

You see, you get to choose

You can choose to either create an inspirational business, or carry on like 99% of small and medium-sized business owners, in a business you love, which doesn’t love you back.

Small business owners suffer more stress, work longer hours and work harder, than they would do if they were an employee. They work themselves harder than any boss would, with none of the perks of being a salaried employee.

And that’s nuts!

New clients often tell me they would see other business owners, who were brimming with energy, and wonder how those other business owners managed to be so motivated. Usually, they blame themselves for not being self-motivated enough.

Thankfully, they’re 100% incorrect.

ANY business owner can become highly motivated and fully energized. However, it isn’t going to happen, while they’re working in a business that’s zapping their energy or failing to inspire them.

Business owners are intelligent people. They’re not going to feel highly motivated and energized, working in a business that isn’t fulfilling them.

Clarity is the key

All that energy and excitement only comes, when you are crystal clear about what you want from your business AND you have a plan for exactly how to achieve it. This massively improves the way you think and feel about your business. That’s because you know what you want, know how to get it and can see daily progress toward your dream / goal / target. I see the impact this has on my clients every day. I’m telling you, it’s transformational!

And as your thoughts are what determine your actions, your newly-found excitement for your business provides you with the essential energy, excitement and motivation you want. That clarity and direction is all that separates you from those supercharged (and highly successful) business owners.

The challenge you need to overcome, if you want to access that energy and excitement, can be summed-up in one word: Settling.

Settling

Some business owners have spent so long with their daily grind, that they unconsciously start to settle for things the way they are. Sure, they hope things will improve. Occasionally, they’ll try something new. But they find themselves with the same core problem. So they (wrongly) blame themselves for lacking the self-motivation or energy.

Pretty soon, they realize 2017 is starting to look a lot like last year. And last year wasn’t much different from the year before that. It’s little wonder they lack motivation, when they know that January 2018 won’t be the start of a New Year, just another chance to relive the same old year, all over again.

Fact: You are in control

You don’t need to settle for ANYTHING.

You’re the boss.

That’s the whole point of being a business owner. You get to build whatever kind of business you want. You choose how enjoyable your “work” is. You get to decide what you earn, where you live, the number of hours you work and the quality of your customers. Everything is directly under your control.

Choose clarity. Refuse to settle for less than you deserve. And if you’d like some help, I’m right here.